Charming Utah: Sego Lilies and... Day Spas?

I am currently reading a book I picked up from the Pioneer Memorial Museum about the relationship between the Native Utes, Shoshone, and more, and the Mormon Pioneers. It has a lot of interesting information in it... from the name "Uintahs" (to this day nobody knows exactly what it means) to storytelling around campfires along the shores of the Jordan River where Chiefs would tell stories of their great ancestors who lived on the islands of the Great Salt Lake, and how seagulls white like the heavens they came from, and they were sent from the gods.

I particularly love this legend of the Sego Lily, Utah's state flower, as it is recounted in Levi Edgar Young's book "Founding of Utah":

Many, many suns ago, the Indians lived in great numbers in these valleys of the mountains. They grew corn and berries in rich abundance. As they increased in yield, the Indians became jealous of one another and tried to see who could gather the most food for winter living, when the snows were deep and cold. Then they warred. The game stick was replaced by the tomahawk. Many Indians were killed. The Great Spirit was displeased. He dried up the corn and berries. The children were left without food. The sky became dark with great clouds for many moons; the earth refused to yield; the sands blew over all the land. The Indians sorrowed and prayed to the Great Spirit. One day the sun shone bright up on the hills, and the people saw a little plant growing everywhere, even in the canyons and far above to the very peaks. The Great Spirit had heard the prayers of the people. When the Indians tasted the root, they knew the Great Spirit had saved them from death. Ever after, they refused to fight where the Sego Lily grew. They called it the 'Little Life Plant of the Hills'."

-- by Adrienne Montgomery

I am not sure that we have any particular appreciation for our state flower these days; do a quick Google search and it is difficult to even find this legend. In fact, when I did a search on "Sego Lily Utah" the first few pages of Google entries were for a day spa. Not that I have anything against day spas, but like so many other things, I find it sad that we are bombarded with commercials that bury rich traditions and amazing stories. I for one, plan on seeking out a Sego Lily at the local home improvement stores and turning it into a potted plant... if I can develop a green thumb, that is.